Tenrec

Tenrec, (family Tenrecidae), any of 29 species of shrewlike and hedgehoglike mammals. Most are endemic to Madagascar and nearby islands, but the otter shrews (subfamily Potamogalinae) are native to the African mainland.

The shrewlike tenrecs, such as the long-eared tenrec (Geogale aurita), have soft, dense fur and are analogous to true shrews (family Soricidae) found on other continents. The long-eared tenrec is a very small ground dweller weighing only 5 to 9 grams (0.2 to 0.3 ounce) and having a body 7 cm (2.8 inches) long and a shorter tail (3 cm). It is brown with a white underside. The 17 species of shrew tenrecs (genus Microgale) are larger and darker in colour; they can be either terrestrial or arboreal. Geogale and Microgale are counterparts to the white-toothed shrews of Asia and Africa. The three species of rice tenrecs (genus Oryzorictes) are burrowers that will inhabit rice fields. They are similar to American short-tailed shrews and have dark velvety fur, small eyes and ears, and long front claws. The amphibious tenrec (Limnogale mergulus) is the only species in its genus. In addition to its webbed feet, keeled tail, and water-repellent fur, the amphibious tenrec also has the body form, habits, and diet of water shrews.

The hedgehoglike tenrecs have bulky bodies, have short or no external tails, and are terrestrial or arboreal. Most species have specialized spines that scrape against each other to produce sounds used in communication. The lesser and greater hedgehog tenrecs (Echinops telfairi and Setifer setosus, respectively) have densely spined upperparts and can curl into a protective ball. The lesser hedgehog tenrec weighs up to 250 grams and has a body up to 18 cm long. The streaked tenrec is about the same size; its fur consists of detachable barbed spines and coarse hairs. The common, or tailless, tenrec (Tenrec ecaudatus) is the largest, weighing 2 kg (4.4 pounds) or more.

The eight tenrec genera belong to the family Tenrecidae, which also includes African otter shrews (subfamily Potamogalinae). The tenrecs of Madagascar belong to three subfamilies. Subfamily Oryzorictinae includes the 21 species of Oryzorictes, Limnogale, and Microgale; subfamily Tenrecinae includes four single-species genera, Echinops, Setifer, Tenrec, and Hemicentetes; Geogale aurita is the sole member of subfamily Geogalinae. Although tenrecs are currently placed in the same order (Soricimorpha) as solenodons, true shrews, and moles, the actual evolutionary relationships of tenrecs are unresolved. Anatomical and molecular studies, for example, suggest that they may be more closely related to golden moles (order Chrysochloridea).

Tenrecs were considered to represent the classic island pattern of many different species evolving from a common ancestor. Recent evidence, however, suggests that the three subfamilies represent three independent colonizations of Madagascar. Tenrec fossils in Africa date to the Early Miocene Epoch (23.8 to 16.4 million years ago), which suggests a continental fauna that could have included the ancestors of the three living groups on Madagascar.